Looking to lay down a dominant first-leg marker on Thursday night and extend on their Europa League qualifying charge, Benfica will welcome Hearts to Lisbon. With Europe’s elite domestic leagues set to officially make their respective returns over the next fortnight, there are plenty of attractive betting promotions available. Verdict: Benfica to win both halves […] The post Prediction: Benfica vs Hearts appeared first on SoccerNews.
RB Leipzig managing director Marcel Schafer referred to Yan Diomande's potential move to Real Madrid, taking a jab to the reports claiming that the deal was already done. Yan Diomande was widely expected to be unveiled as Real Madrid‘s newest marquee signing after widespread reports indicated his transfer was all but complete. However, amid escalating rumors and media frenzy, RB Leipzig managing director Marcel Schafer pushed back against those claims, clarifying that a deal has not yet been finalized. Reports from prominent transfer insider Fabrizio Romano stated that Real Madrid and RB Leipzig had struck an agreement exceeding €100 million for the Ivorian winger, with terms fully arranged. Diomande was scheduled to travel for his medical examination, but the proposed move hit unexpected roadblocks rather than reaching a swift conclusion. Speaking to Sky Sport Germany, Schafer directly refuted the media reports: “It’s clear that some so-called transfer experts reported a few days ago that the deal was done or gave it the ‘here we go.’ That’s simply not the case. We’re not at that stage yet.” After reporting back to RB Leipzig, Diomande was omitted from the club’s preseason training camp in Saalfelden. “Yan Diomande is also not traveling to Saalfelden due to an infection. As soon as he has recovered, he will follow the team,” the club announced on social media, though ongoing negotiations with Real Madrid make his arrival at camp increasingly unlikely. Willkommen zurück, Jungs! 🫶 pic.twitter.com/Qpfpklk6wU— RB Leipzig (@RBLeipzig) July 27, 2026 Diomande’s representation dispute threatens Real Madrid move While Schafer confirmed that negotiations between Real Madrid and RB Leipzig remain open, a complex legal dispute off the pitch has emerged as a potential hurdle. A conflict between Diomande’s former and current agencies could complicate his prospective move to La Liga. According to Diario AS, Maxidel Management’s Max Gradel (Diomande’s former agent) filed an official complaint with FIFA alleging a breach of contract. The legal action follows Diomande’s recent transition to Roc Nation (the agency founded by Jay-Z that represents stars like Vinicius Junior), the entity Real Madrid negotiated with directly while unaware of lingering contractual issues with his former representative. Gradel, who facilitated Diomande’s transfer from Leganes to RB Leipzig, maintains an active contract dispute with the player. With an official complaint now before FIFA, football’s governing body could grant Diomande a provisional transfer license to allow the move, delay the transaction pending review, or block the transfer entirely. When asked by Sky Germany whether the dispute could cause the deal to collapse, Schafer downplayed the risk: “From my perspective, it’s a clear no. I’m not aware of that. There has been a change of agents. Our point of contact is now Roc Nation – that’s something Yan made very clear to us. (…) I don’t think a transfer would fall through because of that, if it even comes to a transfer in the first place.“ 🔴🗣️ Asked by Sky Germany whether the agent dispute could cause the Diomande transfer to fall through, RB Leipzig managing director Marcel Schäfer said:„From my perspective, it’s a clear no. I’m not aware of that. There has been a change of agents. Our point of contact is now… pic.twitter.com/DU0l1rBcSl— Philipp Hinze (@philipphinze24) August 3, 2026
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